STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR TACAN İLDEM, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF TURKEY Regarding the Investigations Conducted into the National Socialist Underground (NSU), a Far-Right Terrorist Group in Germany 920th PERMANENT COUNCIL 11 June 2012

Mr. Chairman,

I would like to refer to my earlier statement that I made at the PC meeting on 17 November 2011, through which I brought to the attention of this august body the ongoing criminal investigation conducted in Germany on a series of killings involving nine persons, eight of whom were of Turkish origin, by a right-wing terrorist cell, NSU (National Socialist Underground), operating until recently in that country.

We commended the determined action of the German law enforcement agencies in establishing the link between that criminal cell and the killings of innocent persons and welcomed the reactions of relevant authorities in Germany condemning the heinous acts and urging the law enforcement agencies to determine those responsible and bring them all to justice with the full force of the law.

We also noted with appreciation the information provided by my German colleague to the effect that investigation was being carried out to determine whether any person other than the cell members was involved in the killings.

However, news on the progress of the investigation so far is neither on par with what is expected from German law enforcement agencies nor with what relevant authorities promised to this end.

In the session of the German Bundestag Committee of Inquiry on the NSU held on 27 June 2012, it was understood that the investigation files about “Thüringer Heimatschutz” to which the murder suspects were members, had been destroyed. The fact that the files were deleted on 11 November 2011, on the day when the investigation into NSU was undertaken by the Federal Prosecutors’ Office is open to question.

In the same period with this development, another suspect who is believed to have assisted the NSU in preparing the videos has been released. Now only two suspects are remained under custody.

While raising our serious concern on the current stage of investigations, given the recent developments, we would like maintain our confidence that the German authorities will treat this issue in accordance with the seriousness and responsibility it requires. It is the common resolve of all participating States, without doubt, that xenophobic, racist and extremist criminal acts are not tolerated and those responsible are denied impunity wherever those acts are committed, be it in Germany or in another part of the OSCE geography.